VS “YOUR TRUTH” DEPARTMENT: former is grounded in verifiable facts; the latter is the deceptive product of emotion The latter,

unfortunately, is usually represented by the loudest, most agitated mob

FROM THE “FOR EXAMPLE”

DEPARTMENT: Every so often, the issue of spanking rears its always ugly head and begins snapping at my heels The latest example comes from a PTA group in Connecticut that has marked me “unfit for human consumption” because I supposedly (according to said group) believe in spanking But I don’t “believe” in spanking I am not zealous concerning spanking, pro or con As concerns this thing we now call parenting, I long ago realized that unless my beliefs could be supported by a preponderance of anecdote, verified sources of wisdom, or good research, they were not worth sharing with others

Concerning the volatile subject of spanking, the best research –meaning that which most closely adheres to the scientific method and is not contaminated by researchers’ feelings or preconceived notions –says that spanking, in and of itself, is not the harmful thing the mental health community has been claiming, zealously, for the past fifty years

The research in question – the interested reader can look it up online – has been and is being done by professors Robert Larzelere of Oklahoma State University and Diana Baumrind of the University of California, Berkeley They have found, independently and conjointly, that children who are occasionally spanked by parents whose love is unconditional score higher on multiple measures of well-being than children whose parents claim to have never spanked The operative words in the previous sentence are occasionally, spanked, unconditional, and claim In other words, the research findings in question certainly do not apply to children who are regularly beaten by parents who are motivated by anger rather than genuine and

Concerning parents who “claim” to have never spanked, Baumrind discovered, somewhat to her own surprise, that many such parents admit in confidential interviews that they have occasionally exploded toward their children in physical and emotional rages She advanced the proposition that occasional, moderate spankings can and often do serve as a disciplinary “safety valve,” thus preventing abuse

All things considered, spankings are by no means essential to the proper discipline of a child In fact, proper discipline is not constituted primarily of proper consequences That is evidenced by the fact that parents of the most well-behaved children use consequences sparingly, in fact Many an obedient, respectful child has never been swatted

FROM THE “OTHER SIDE OF THE PROVERBIAL COIN” DEPARTMENT: I do not agree with those in the Christian community who claim that biblical verses referring to “the rod of discipline” enjoin parents to spank. As I have said on many previous occasions – both in this column and elsewhere – there is a distinct semantic difference in the Bible between “a rod” and “the rod.” While the former is a reference to a stick-like object used, for example, as a symbol of royal authority or means of herding domestic beasts, the latter is clearly metaphorical. The Bible is not prescribing spankings for misbehavior (nor, however, does it eliminate that option) It clearly says what I say at every possible opportunity: the proper discipline of a child is accomplished not by “consequence-delivery-systems” but by parents who project a calm confidence in the legitimacy of their authority and focus, first and foremost, on teaching their children to think correctly and contain their emotions

And that’s my last word on the subject in my dreams

Family psychologist John Rosemond: johnrosemond com, parentguru com

John Rosemond has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971 in the field of family psychology In 1971, John earned his masters in psychology from Western Illinois University and was elected to the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society

Hey Taylor - How do I produce a passive income if I have no time? Am I the only person who needs to sleep? I get so frustrated hearing about side hustles and passive incomes and feeling like there’s no way to join the movement because I don’t have hours to spare

- Beverly

Hey Beverly - First of all, I very much empathize Everyone talks about all the ways to earn money without acknowledging the time it takes, and that can be pretty annoying Here are some things that can potentially generate income without requiring too much time or effort

1 Rent something out The first thing people think about is a spare room, and that’s a great option If you have a room in your apartment or a guest house, that’s a good way to make money without taking on a part-time job If you don’t have living space available, there are other things that can be rented People offer the use of their cameras, sound equipment, video game consoles for parties, and all sorts of other things people want but don’t have the money to buy If you don’t have things like this in your possession, you can still consider making the investment Just make sure there’s a rental market for whatever you’re considering buying

2 Online surveys and services If the reason you don’t have time is that you’re already stuck at a desk 40 hours a week, you might be able to multitask and start your side hustle while at your main hustle You won’t get rich, but there are dozens of companies that will pay you in cash and rewards points for completing surveys online Lots of people try these out and then give up after a month or two because the gains aren’t significant, but if you’re looking to pad your wallet just a bit, easy surveys are a real option You can also start working on freelance writing and copyediting While it takes years to become a full-time writer, it’s not impossible to find companies that outsource small projects that will pay you anywhere from $5-$100

3 Turn a hobby into money Do you love baking or drawing or knitting or organizing? Start an Etsy page and sell things you make, or advertise your services as a professional home organizer and see if people will book you for an hour on a weekend when you’re available If you’re searching for a way to make money, you probably aren’t going to find something that’s tailormade for your abilities. Instead, you should see if you can create the opportunity that fits your schedule and skill set

The thing I love most about searching for passive income and side hustles is how often these efforts lead to more fulfilling careers Time might seem like an insurmountable hurdle, but where there’s a will there’s a way Good luck, Beverly!

Taylor Kovar - Family Man Wealth Manager. Author. Speaker. Serial Entrepreneur. Travel Lover. Chick-Fil-A Fanatic Kovar is the CEO and founder of Kovar Capital Management LLC of Lufkin, Texas.